More action needed to prevent natural disasters, says Muzzammil Aslam

ISLAMABAD (ABN News): Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Finance Minister Muzzammil Aslam has stressed the urgent need for enhanced preventive measures against natural disasters, warning that extreme weather events like cloudbursts pose a unique and growing threat.

Speaking on ABN News program Badlo, Aslam described cloudbursts as a rare but highly dangerous phenomenon, particularly intensified in mountainous regions like KP due to the country’s vulnerability to global warming. He revealed that 328 people have lost their lives in the recent natural disaster, with many swept away by powerful flash floods carrying massive boulders.

Despite the devastation, he praised the provincial flood emergency response system, which successfully relocated over 5,100 people to safe areas within 36 hours. Aslam also announced that families of the deceased will receive financial compensation of Rs2 million each, which will be directly transferred to their bank accounts to ensure transparency. He emphasized that such disasters are a stark reminder of the growing impact of climate change and urged for stronger mitigation strategies to protect lives and infrastructure in the future.

Environmental expert Dr. Zainab Naseem, also speaking on Badlo, explained that cloudbursts are so unpredictable that even advanced radar systems in developed countries struggle to forecast them accurately. While high-risk zones for heavy rainfall and flash flooding can be identified—especially in mountainous regions—precise forecasting remains a global challenge. She noted that warnings had recently been issued for Islamabad and Rawalpindi by the Pakistan Meteorological Department and NDMA, yet uncertainty remains widespread across the country due to unpredictable weather patterns.

Dr. Zainab warned that the rising water levels in rivers following heavy rains in the north, combined with potential downpours in low-lying areas, could trigger more intense flooding. She said new rain spells are already affecting Sindh and Balochistan, and the entire country is facing uncertainty about where the next wave of destruction might strike. She stressed the need for Pakistan to accept the reality that such disasters may now occur annually, and both the public and institutions must always be prepared.

She called for an immediate halt to illegal construction near riverbanks and on natural waterways, as well as deforestation, especially in hilly areas. Highlighting the irony of Pakistan’s international stance on contributing minimally to climate change, she pointed out that domestic environmental degradation has also played a major role in weakening natural defenses. Unless Pakistan strengthens its internal environmental policies and systems, it will struggle to make a credible case on global platforms.

Dr. Zainab also criticized the large-scale illegal cutting of trees planted under the Billion Tree Tsunami initiative, noting that while the project had significant environmental potential, much of its impact has been undermined by timber mafia. Without serious efforts to protect forests and restore natural water channels, she warned, the country will continue to face devastating consequences.